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Guess Who’s Back? TiVo Will Revive Aereo Service

Guess Who’s Back? TiVo Will Revive Aereo Service

After buying the company’s assets, TiVo says they have a plan to legally re-launch Aereo’s service.

After a high profile loss in the US Supreme Court, it appeared that Aereo’s days were numbered. The startup offered a popular service that allowed cord-cutters to stream over-the-air broadcasts to their devices, however, following a suit from the broadcasters, this service was deemed illegal. Many cord-cutters crossed their fingers and hoped that the startup would be able to mount a comeback, but realized that the company was now racing against the clock. After a brief scramble to find a loophole, Aereo’s time and money ran out, and the service shut down. Ever optimistic, Aereo customers held on to hope until the remains of the company were picked apart and auctioned off to bidders including TiVo, seemingly dashing any chances of a second act.

Apparently, however, TiVo had plans to use the company’s name and other assets that it had acquired. Amid a renewed focus on cord-cutters which has seen the introduction of TiVo’s flagship Roamio DVR device, which specifically supports OTA broadcasts, CEO Tom Rogers said that the company is working on re-launching the Aereo service in a form that can survive legal scrutiny. The company plans to reveal more about Aereo’s second act at a press conference in July. While Aereo’s fans will welcome the return of the service, many experts are skeptical that TiVo will be able to revive the controversial startup’s offering without drawing the ire of the broadcast networks and their lawyers. But as more cost-conscious consumers turn to OTA broadcasts in order to escape pay-TV, demand for an Aereo-style offering is likely at an all-time high.